Diane McGeachy
Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
Accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist
Hobart, Tasmania
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is over 2500 years old and originated from Buddhism and other eastern philosophies. Mindfulness has been described as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (John Kabat-Zinn). In other words, mindfulness is a way of being in the here and now.
Many of us want to avoid or get through the “messy” aspects of life in order to start living our life and feel as happy as possible. Life, however includes the “messy” bits. Mindfulness is a powerful tool in developing self-support to accept and cope with the challenges, losses and difficulties along the way. The goal of mindfulness is to participate in the present moment in a state of awareness of your behaviours, thoughts, bodily sensations and experience.
Some of us trap ourselves with the thoughts “I will be happy when…” failing to realise that day may never come, or when it does arrive your happiness is short lived before you reach for something else. Mindfulness encourages people to be present and be in contact with themselves and others moment to moment, despite whether our life looks the way we want it to look or feel the way we hope it to feel.
Benefits of Mindfulness
- Learn to feel more alive, and in contact with yourself and environment moment to moment
- Develop awareness to notice how we respond to situations rather then acting impulsively or automatically
- Accept our experience and our emotions without becoming overwhelmed or swallowed by them
- Decreases levels of stress and anxiety
- Can limit or reduce physical pain in chronic illness
- Can be a tool to cope with terminal illness
Applying Mindfulness
A simple practice you can implement wherever you are is called the STOP meditation;
Stop what you are doing and put down all distractions
Take long, slow inhales and exhales for one minute
Observe your experience, taking in your thoughts, emotions, body posture
Proceed to do something that shows care and compassion towards yourself (stretch, make a cup of tea, talk to a colleague or friend for a few minutes, listen to something calming or anything else that feels soothing).
Counselling and Mindfulness
Mindfulness is now widely incorporated with many other psychological approaches including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and Gestalt Therapy. If you would like to learn more about mindfulness and book a counselling appointment contact Diane McGeachy.
Diane McGeachy
Psychologist
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist
Accredited Gestalt Psychotherapist
Phone: (03) 6285 8592
Email: enquiries@hobartcounselling.com.au
Hobart Counselling Centre
Level 1,
181 Elizabeth Street Hobart TAS 7000
www.hobartcounselling.com.au